Norway and Arsenal captain Odegaard hits out at Real Madrid star after reckless challenge

The tackle occurred in stoppage time, after the Arsenal captain had already released the ball. Silva closed him down and caught Odegaard with a grim challenge around the Achilles tendon or ankle.

After the match, the Norwegian captain received treatment before speaking to the press. "It has no place on a football pitch. It’s embarrassing that people do things like that," Odegaard told tv2.no.

"He loses his head. He just kicks me long after I’ve played the ball. I don’t understand what he’s doing," Odegaard said.

While Silva received a yellow card for his tackle, Odegaard stayed on the pitch and played the final minutes. Odegaard, who captains Arsenal, was also asked whether he linked the tackle to the fact that Bernardo Silva has played for Premier League rivals Manchester City.

"You’d have to ask him about that. I don’t know what he’s up to. That kind of thing doesn’t belong on a football pitch. It’s embarrassing that people do things like that. But that’s life," said Odegaard, reiterating that Silva had not apologized.

Bernardo Silva did not give an interview to the Norwegian press himself, but he did make a comment when journalists asked what Odegaard had said to him after the tackle.

"It’s football, my friend," Silva replied, according to dagbladet.no. Odegaard limped out of the stadium, and it's uncertain what the implications of the tackle were.

Portugal won the Nations League clash in Oslo 2-1. It was the first time since October 2023 that Norway were defeated at home at Ullevaal Stadium.